Painting miniatures - Bases

[spinwardpirate]

Ok, so there I was sitting there painting GZG miniatures, and I was suddenly struck by the notion that these guys don't have to be standing on grass green bases.

What color would you paint them? What color is you starship hull? Corridor? etc?

 

[Ranger]

If you want clear bases, try Litko. They will custom make them for you.

http://www.litkoaero.com/

 

[spinwardpirate]

Thanks for the suggestions. Since these guys are cast with a base, I don't want to spend time cutting the base off and replacing it.

What colors are mentioned in Traveller canon for the hulls of ships for the various races? Vargr with black and yellow corsairs? Are Imperial ships... white? What about Zho ships? I have a handfull of minis in vac suits, and in my mind's eye I see them crawling across the hull of a ship trying to gain entry...

 

[Icosahedron]

Battleship grey is a good catch-all. Even if they are in a grassy field they could be standing on a rock.

 

[spinwardpirate]

Right. The first two guys I'm painting their bases red. I figure it could be a ship hull, or Mars. I may also paint some of them with gloss black bases. And... the practical side of my brain says "paint them in groups that will make for easier accounting when the shooting starts..." fireteam A has one color base, B another, etc.

 

[davebill]

Right. The first two guys I'm painting their bases red. I figure it could be a ship hull, or Mars. I may also paint some of them with gloss black bases. And... the practical side of my brain says "paint them in groups that will make for easier accounting when the shooting starts..." fireteam A has one color base, B another, etc.

I'd like to see pictures when you're done - do you have a website or access to a Photobucket or similar.

I've finally finished some figures, which are here at David's Painting and Modeling Log, and, like you, realised that I could do figure bases in colours other than green. Current thinking is that each group of eight figures may have differently finished bases.

Time will tell.

David

 

[spinwardpirate]

You are in luck, I was fiddling around with them yesterday evening on my old FASA 15mm deck plans and took this:
http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/enterprise bridge.jpg
The red bases are harsh in this lighting, and they clash with the light blue deck plans something fierce.
The guy in the white suit isn't finished. I'm going to try something more subtle with his base.
The visors were also something I wanted to test. The first two guys I did with gold visors (thinking gold was used on astronauts visors), but after consulting a bunch of photos, it seemed to me that glossy black would work better. So our friend in the pearly white suit has a gloss black visor. I think I like it better than the gold.

Btw, cool! I was just looking at your log the other day! Neat stuff!

 

[spinwardpirate]

I've tried a few more, this time with a Testor's color called "Steel".

 

[far-trader]

...The visors were also something I wanted to test. The first two guys I did with gold visors (thinking gold was used on astronauts visors), but after consulting a bunch of photos, it seemed to me that glossy black would work better. So our friend in the pearly white suit has a gloss black visor. I think I like it better than the gold.

Sharp looking. The red bases are distinctive I like the idea of colour coding them (beats my usual neutral gray). And I see nothing wrong with the gold visors, especially on the green suit (says the Halo nut ). The black is ok too though. Last time I did a visor I think I played with some mirror chrome paint I had from somewhere. That was good too as I recall.

 

[davebill]

You are in luck, I was fiddling around with them yesterday evening on my old FASA 15mm deck plans and took this:
http://www.piratebrethren.com/gaming/enterprise bridge.jpg
The red bases are harsh in this lighting, and they clash with the light blue deck plans something fierce.

Heh! But it is obvious who's who and which way they're facing. So, you have a sorta 3D counter effect going on a floor plan. Still, I like what you've done with the figures, and Mr White's glossy black faceplate looks really good.

The guy in the white suit isn't finished. I'm going to try something more subtle with his base.

For deck plates, I'm wondering about a plain grey with an off-set ruled rectangular pattern, perhaps using a felt-tip pen. But the bases are so small, getting the lines straight would be a pain. Need striped paint!

The visors were also something I wanted to test. The first two guys I did with gold visors (thinking gold was used on astronauts visors), but after consulting a bunch of photos, it seemed to me that glossy black would work better. So our friend in the pearly white suit has a gloss black visor. I think I like it better than the gold.

I'm trying copper visors on some GZG New Israeli hardsuit troops I've nearly finished, inspired by Mark at Dropship Horizon. I try and check his blog at least once a week as he's usually doing something interesting.

I don't have a sufficiently glossy black in my painting kit to get the very nice effect you've achieved, and I like Dan's idea of the reflective helmet visor as well - might have to make a trip to the (distant) model shop later this week!

Btw, cool! I was just looking at your log the other day! Neat stuff!

Thank you. I'm always surprised when people tell me they've seen my log or website - I don't have a counter on it, so have no way of knowing if it does get looked at. Hopefully, there are little nuggets on it which are of use to other people

 

[spinwardpirate]

Sharp looking. The red bases are distinctive I like the idea of colour coding them (beats my usual neutral gray).

Thanks!

And I see nothing wrong with the gold visors, especially on the green suit (says the Halo nut ). The black is ok too though. Last time I did a visor I think I played with some mirror chrome paint I had from somewhere. That was good too as I recall.

Ooooh, then you'll like my latest guy. Black vac suit, gloss copper visor, red base.
(I'm a PS3 guy, so sadly, I've never had a chance to see Halo.)

 

[spinwardpirate]

Heh! But it is obvious who's who and which way they're facing. So, you have a sorta 3D counter effect going on a floor plan. Still, I like what you've done with the figures, and Mr White's glossy black faceplate looks really good.

Thanks. And that was part of the theory behind the color choice. Right now I'm working with three different base colors: red, steel, and rubber. The rubber is another Testor's color, something of a grimy tire look.

For deck plates, I'm wondering about a plain grey with an off-set ruled rectangular pattern, perhaps using a felt-tip pen. But the bases are so small, getting the lines straight would be a pain. Need striped paint!

How about very thin pin-striping decals?

I'm trying copper visors on some GZG New Israeli hardsuit troops I've nearly finished, inspired by Mark at Dropship Horizon. I try and check his blog at least once a week as he's usually doing something interesting.

That guy's stuff is inspirational!
I just did three or four visors with copper. Looks quite nice.

I don't have a sufficiently glossy black in my painting kit to get the very nice effect you've achieved, and I like Dan's idea of the reflective helmet visor as well - might have to make a trip to the (distant) model shop later this week!

If you do, please post the results.

Thank you. I'm always surprised when people tell me they've seen my log or website - I don't have a counter on it, so have no way of knowing if it does get looked at. Hopefully, there are little nuggets on it which are of use to other people

Thank you for putting stuff out there. It's useful stuff, like your painted minis, and the 3d artwork of our fellow members, that fan my creative fires.

 

[davebill]

Have put a couple of pictures of my GZG New Israelis up on my painting log. This is post our discussion of bases over the last couple of days.

The pictures actually came out rather crappy the metallic red is actually quite smooth and shiny. The sand on the bases, once painted black, then Tamiya Dark Grey, looks a lot like stone chip or river stones. Interesting effect.

 

[mbrinkhues]

Ony way to get a gloss effect in tank modelling is to paint in three stages:

+ A basic black background (flat XF-1 from Tamiya)
+ The clear color you want (Tamiya Clear Red, Yellow etc)
+ A coat or two of gloss varnisch (Tamiy varnish)

Commonly used for tank optics with green for older ones and red for modern laser resistant

 

[spinwardpirate]

Have put a couple of pictures of my GZG New Israelis up on my painting log. This is post our discussion of bases over the last couple of days.

Thanks for posting them. I really like the New Israeli figures. They remind me very much of one of my favorite Martian Metal Traveller figures from back in the old days.

The pictures actually came out rather crappy the metallic red is actually quite smooth and shiny. The sand on the bases, once painted black, then Tamiya Dark Grey, looks a lot like stone chip or river stones. Interesting effect.

Considering what you are trying to take a picture of... good job. It's tough to get a decent pic of a 15, it really is.
Those bases look nice. Good work.

 

[spinwardpirate]

Ony way to get a gloss effect in tank modelling is to paint in three stages:

+ A basic black background (flat XF-1 from Tamiya)
+ The clear color you want (Tamiya Clear Red, Yellow etc)
+ A coat or two of gloss varnisch (Tamiy varnish)

Commonly used for tank optics with green for older ones and red for modern laser resistant

I haven't sprayed my finished figures with a clear coat yet. After I do, I suspect I'm going to have to go back over the visors with an additional layer of gloss to bring back the shine.

 

[spinwardpirate]

Year: 1101
Location: Secondary gas giant in the Querion system
While exploring deck 69 of the hulk of the Azhanti High Lightning class cruiser Haunting Thunder, a group of salvage experts are about to have an unexpected and rather dangerous encounter.

 

[Darkhstarr]

I usually paint my bases in various shades of gray, assuming either a spaceship or port setting. Though for combat figures I often go with different shades of brown assuming ground combat. For riding beasts (like the velociraptors I've got my pirates riding) I go with a brownish base with a splash of green or with a green base.

 

[spinwardpirate]

Thanks for the input!

I painted two figures up last night with silvery bases. I didn't think I was going to like it, but I think they came out looking better than the guys with the steel grey bases.

So to recap, I've tried: rubber (very dark grey), steel, silver, and red. I have a metallic jade green that I'm tempted to use. And... I'm thinking about marble... but it seems like it would be more of a fuss...